why bash on christians so much?

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bmaverick

Member
Feb 20, 2010
79
0
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Well, nobody really knows anything until after they die. I guess all the answers will be awaiting each of us once we cross the line there. Does it really matter how we lived our lives or not? Being a goody-two-shoes win anything beyond or being a rotten scoundrel pay the same in the end.

All I know is, everyone dies regardless. No intelligence can stop death either. Being agnostic just puts me on the side-lines while the religious and atheists go at it.

Nobody owns the street corner at the market holding all the answers. Only an empty bag.
 

piasabird

Lifer
Feb 6, 2002
17,168
60
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Evolution is irrelevent. No one can really prove evolution one way or another. Animals are going extinct all the time, that does not prove evolution.
 

HAL9000

Lifer
Oct 17, 2010
22,021
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Evolution is irrelevent. No one can really prove evolution one way or another. Animals are going extinct all the time, that does not prove evolution.

Sigh...

I think i'll let someone else laugh at this and explain. Anyone?

P.S. I'm sorry that the education system in your country failed you so completely.
 

rudeguy

Lifer
Dec 27, 2001
47,351
14
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Evolution is irrelevent. No one can really prove evolution one way or another. Animals are going extinct all the time, that does not prove evolution.

are you talking microevolution or macroevolution?

There is definitely proof that some species evolve. I don't think anyone doubts that. That type of evolution is what keeps a species from dying off.

I have yet to see firm evidence of macroevolution which is what I believe most Christians are referring to. The majority of them don't take the time to investigate it though, so they end up sounding even more ignorant than me. Which is a tough thing to do.
 

sourceninja

Diamond Member
Mar 8, 2005
8,805
65
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are you talking microevolution or macroevolution?

There is definitely proof that some species evolve. I don't think anyone doubts that. That type of evolution is what keeps a species from dying off.

I have yet to see firm evidence of macroevolution which is what I believe most Christians are referring to. The majority of them don't take the time to investigate it though, so they end up sounding even more ignorant than me. Which is a tough thing to do.

You can't really have one without the other imho. Enough micro will lead to macro when looked at over a period of time. I don't think I'll suddenly sprout a 3rd arm, but I could see a small growth that over a million years becomes an arm. Each change a worthless random evolutionary trait that get's passed down by blind luck or because it has an advantage or even because the environment allows the weak to continue to have sex.

I'm not an evolutionary scientist, so I don't claim to know how it works. But just a very basic understanding of computer programming defends my argument. It's called feature creep.
 

simonizor

Golden Member
Feb 8, 2010
1,312
0
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Why bash on Christians? Because the whole idea of believing something just because it's written in a book seems pretty idiotic to me. I mean, that's like believing that Middle Earth, hobbits, and trolls are all real just because they're in the Lord of the Rings books.
 

rudeguy

Lifer
Dec 27, 2001
47,351
14
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You can't really have one without the other imho. Enough micro will lead to macro when looked at over a period of time. I don't think I'll suddenly sprout a 3rd arm, but I could see a small growth that over a million years becomes an arm. Each change a worthless random evolutionary trait that get's passed down by blind luck or because it has an advantage or even because the environment allows the weak to continue to have sex.

I'm not an evolutionary scientist, so I don't claim to know how it works. But just a very basic understanding of computer programming defends my argument. It's called feature creep.

but feature creep requires intelligent design :)
 

Cerpin Taxt

Lifer
Feb 23, 2005
11,940
542
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are you talking microevolution or macroevolution?

There is definitely proof that some species evolve. I don't think anyone doubts that. That type of evolution is what keeps a species from dying off.

I have yet to see firm evidence of macroevolution which is what I believe most Christians are referring to. The majority of them don't take the time to investigate it though, so they end up sounding even more ignorant than me. Which is a tough thing to do.

The Molecular Evidence for Common Descent
 

rudeguy

Lifer
Dec 27, 2001
47,351
14
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Bullshit...Have you worked with the same people I've worked with?

In all seriousness however evolution is 100% compatible with christianity.

:D

It definitely is in theory. But we do have to remember that theory is all we are dealing with. No one here was present when God made all the critters nor when the spermy thing crawled out of the ooz and got struck by lightning.


To answer the OP's question: Its ignorance. Both sides tend to defend theories rather than debate facts. I'm a die hard, red blooded Christian but I rarely refer to myself as a Christian. I am more of a Christian Apologetic. I love taking a look at my religion from different angles. I always find that when I go back to the word of the Bible, it is always correct. When I listen to common things told by preachers, speakers and common folk...even I get frustrated.

But there are plenty of Christians out there who spew third hand knowledge that they have to defend fiercely since they have no real evidence to back it up. While their intentions are good, they are simply ignorant. A good test to see if you are dealing with this type of Christian would be to simply ask them what happens to people who commit suicide. Their reply will tell you a lot about their knowledge and how important their spirituality is to them.
 

Cerpin Taxt

Lifer
Feb 23, 2005
11,940
542
126
:D

It definitely is in theory. But we do have to remember that theory is all we are dealing with.
Evolution is a fact, and a theory. "Theory" in this context is not synonymous with "guess" or "hypothesis."

No one here was present when God made all the critters nor when the spermy thing crawled out of the ooz and got struck by lightning.
That's abiogenesis. We're talking about evolution. They are not the same. Evolution is known to be true, because it operates on literally anything that replicates imperfectly -- in this case living organisms. How those living organisms came to be imperfect replicators is a separate question. We know that they are imperfect replicators in any case, so evolution will happen to them.
 

rudeguy

Lifer
Dec 27, 2001
47,351
14
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Evolution is a fact, and a theory. "Theory" in this context is not synonymous with "guess" or "hypothesis."

I agree fully. But theory is not synonymous with fact.

That's abiogenesis. We're talking about evolution. They are not the same. Evolution is known to be true, because it operates on literally anything that replicates imperfectly -- in this case living organisms. How those living organisms came to be imperfect replicators is a separate question. We know that they are imperfect replicators in any case, so evolution will happen to them.

While I don't fully understand what you are trying to say here, I don't think we are disagreeing with each other. I agree that organisms are going to evolve. They need to in order to survive. Now I don't believe that a random fish crawled out of the water and magically a few years later it was a deer. Or that a bird landed on a tree and through the magic of evolution, it became a goat.
 

Cerpin Taxt

Lifer
Feb 23, 2005
11,940
542
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While I don't fully understand what you are trying to say here, I don't think we are disagreeing with each other. I agree that organisms are going to evolve. They need to in order to survive. Now I don't believe that a random fish crawled out of the water and magically a few years later it was a deer. Or that a bird landed on a tree and through the magic of evolution, it became a goat.
My point is that evolution isn't about the origin of life. It is about the origin of species -- or the diversity of life. It explains that all biological organisms are related to one another the same way you are related to your parents and your cousins, just on a larger scale.

Evolution does not propose that a "fish magically became a deer" or that a "bird became a goat." Instead, it says that at one time in the past there existed an ancestor common to all of them. Analogously, your cousin could never magically become your biological son, but you are both related through a common ancestor -- your grandmother. The same way that there are branches in your family tree, there are larger branches in the tree of life along which species diverge from common ancestors.

EDIT: Missed this part--

I agree fully. But theory is not synonymous with fact.
In science, a theory is an aggregation of facts. A theory explains why the facts are what they are, and not different. For example, the theory of evolution explains why there is such a high degree of similarity between the human and chimpanzee genomes, rather than having grossly dissimilar genomes. If biological organisms did not have traceable genomic similarities, evolution would be false. Evolution says that the fact that humans and chimp have nearly identical DNA is because they are related to a common ancestor. Please understand that paternity tests operate on precisely the same principles. If you can accept that two people can be shown to be siblings based on genetic similarity, then you must accept the molecular evidence for evolution.
 
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JackBurton

Lifer
Jul 18, 2000
15,993
14
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Is this shit still going on? Here, I'll make this easy for you. Because they are fucking retarded. Now here's the problem, when you are retarded, it's impossible to know you are retarded. So that is why you have questions like, "why do people bash on Christians?" Let's see, you have ABSOLUTELY NO EVIDENCE for your claims, however you insist you are right and the world needs to follow YOUR rules. Hold on, next you are going to "act" dumb and say, "what rules?" Rules like the "Blue Law" that were repealed in the 80's when people finally came to their senses and realized there was nothing wrong with buying goods on Sundays. How about "dry counties?" Who do you think is behind those moronic laws? How about the FCC "rules?" What do you think the basis for those rules are? Just a few example.

Not to mention I have a problem with people just spouting off BS, whether it is religion or whatever else. If it is bullshit, I'm going to call you on it. It's as simple as that. You don't get to spout off baseless shit and go unchecked. Sorry. If you make a claim, I expect for you to back it up with supporting evidence, just like anything else. Religion is no exception.

And quit playing the victim. That is just another way for you to avoid the facts. "Please don't pick on us." In the meantime you go around spreading this BS to the weak, like a virus. I'm sorry, pretending to drink your God's blood on Sundays should not be considered "normal" by any standard. And the longer people tolerate that behavior and pretend it is ok, the slower we will advance as a society. Religion (not just Christianity) is the anchor on progress, and needs to be eliminated. It's really as simple as that.
 
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cKGunslinger

Lifer
Nov 29, 1999
16,408
57
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Is this shit still going on? Here, I'll make this easy for you. Because they are fucking retarded. Now here's the problem, when you are retarded, it's impossible to know you are retarded. So that is why you have questions like, "why do people bash on Christians?" Let's see, you have ABSOLUTELY NO EVIDENCE for your claims, however you insist you are right and the world needs follow YOUR rules. Hold on, next you are going to "act" dumb and say, "what rules?" Rules like the "Blue Law" that were repealed in the 80's when people finally came to their senses and realized there was nothing wrong with buying goods on Sundays. How about "dry counties?" Who do you think is behind those moronic laws? How about the FCC "rules?" What do you think the basis for those rules are? Just a few example.

Not to mention I have a problem with people just spouting off BS, whether it is religion or whatever else. If it is bullshit, I'm going to call you on it. It's as simple as that. You don't get to spout off baseless shit and go unchecked. Sorry. If you make a claim, I expect for you to back it up with supporting evidence, just like anything else. Religion is no exception.

And quit playing the victim. That is just another way for you to avoid the facts. "Please don't pick on us." In the meantime you go around spreading this BS to the weak, like a virus. I'm sorry, pretending to drink your God's blood on Sundays should not be considered "normal" by any standard. And the longer people tolerate that behavior and pretend it is ok, the slower we will advance as a society. Religion (not just Christianity) is the anchor on progress, and needs to be eliminated. It's really as simple as that.

I cannot completely disagree with this.
 

Ninjahedge

Diamond Member
Mar 2, 2005
4,149
1
91
Evolution:

When you look at the Bible and see the way that our creation is written about, that nice little fairy tale put into simplistic human terms that someone without even an elementary school education can understand, you see something strange.

It kinda fits our own (current) Big Bang and Evolution timeline, although condensed into a more-easily understood timeline of 7 days rather than billions of years.

Has any Christian group thought, for once, that maybe, just maybe, the way God does things is not by hokus-pokus but by the way things actually WORK in this world?

I mean, if "he" made all this stuff to begin with, and he has all the time "he" needs, a few million years to make a monkey lose its tail and post on the internet is nothing.

If you are omniscient and omnipotent, no matter how complex the shot is, you are most likely to get it on first try. That is why God was never allowed to play pool or Plinko.